Prayer
by Kyarorain
Summary: Mia sends out a prayer to Mercury, begging for Alex's return. She doesn't know Alex is already returning to her. AlexMia.


**Prayer**

* * *

I suddenly wanted to do an AlexMia one-shot set post-TLA. This isn't done too often for obvious reasons and I don't really see it working out, but nonetheless I decided to give it a chance. AlexMia can actually be a rather nice pairing if done right. Hope you enjoy, reviews are very much appreciated.

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

* * *

Mia kneeled before the fountain, gazing at the sparkling water that constantly filled the round stone basin. It was the sacred water of Hermes, that could heal all illnesses, and the fountain always ran anew with this precious liquid, so long as the beacon of Mercury was lit. For as long as Mia could remember, that fountain had been empty and the Mercury Lighthouse beacon was dim. It had been her duty as part of the Mercury Clan to prevent that beacon from being lit, even when Imil was rife with disease and influenza. The Mercury Clan was full of experienced healers after all.

At least, when the Mercury Clan existed. By the time she was well into her teenage years, only two members of the Mercury Clan existed at all in Imil. She was one, and so was Alex. The last two surviving people of a dying clan. It had been Alex who betrayed the clan and fired the beacon of Mercury Lighthouse.

Mia let out a sigh and tucked a strand of blue hair behind her ear, her sapphire eyes glimmering with emotion as she recalled that day she failed her duty. Alex had appeared right there on the beacon in front of her, after all that time he had been gone without a word, not even apologising for his deed. He'd known what he had done, he'd betrayed her, and there didn't even seem to be the slightest hint of regret in his eyes.

She had been hurt and angry at Alex's actions. How could he have disappeared from Imil without a word, been gone for so many days that she had lost count, and then only appeared again in front of her after a cold betrayal? Mia was convinced she hated him until she ended up aiding the group to go and light Mars Lighthouse.

Knowing that lighting the lighthouses would save Weyard from destroying itself, Mia had slowly come to accept Alex's actions. Lighting Mercury had simply been the first step in preventing the world from its fated destruction and in the end, humankind would be saved, so she really couldn't be upset about it anymore. In time, Mia forgave Alex.

Except on Mars Lighthouse Aerie, it all came crashing down again. The Wise One told them that Alex had desired the sacred power of Alchemy. Mia had been stunned beyond belief, shocked that Alex had been using them all along for such a selfish desire, and had said some cutting words against Alex in her bitter anger.

_"He's one of my own people... I feel sick... disgusted..."_

_"If Alex was the one who started all this, then he is responsible and I'll never forgive him."_

Tears swelled up in Mia's eyes and she quickly reached up to dash them away, shaking her head. Hearing herself then, lashing out so cuttingly in her anger, it hurt. How could she have said those things? Now Mia felt bad that she had judged so fast. She had no idea what Alex's true intentions even were, how could she have so quickly assumed him a villain?

What if Alex was somehow a good person after all?

Mia remembered the Alex she used to know, her childhood friend, the person she had played and laughed with in the snow, her dear Alex, and she firmly decided to believe in him. No longer would she think of Alex as the selfish, manipulative villain, but the misunderstood enigma who had only wanted power... power he could have done good with. Nobody even knew what Alex wanted to do with all that power...

But where was Alex now? Ever since Mars Lighthouse, they hadn't even heard of him. The Wise One had gone to deal with him and that was it. No word, no sight, nothing. Mia had stayed in Vale for a while and returned to Imil. In all the time since the journey ended, there had been nothing of Alex.

Mia wanted to see Alex again, she needed to know that he was alive, she wanted him by her side.

And so, in her kneeling position, Mia clasped her hands and bowed her head. She softly spoke out a prayer to Mercury.

* * *

Alex stood at the edge of the town, his eyes glimmering with emotion. How long now had it been since he last saw his hometown? It must have been about a year now, when he was passing it on the way to Mercury Lighthouse. Of course, he hadn't even bothered to pop in and see people, he hadn't been coming to his home area for a social visit. Alex was here for one reason only.

_Mia._

Alex swallowed, trying not to think about the reaction she would have upon seeing him. She might hate him, be pleased to see him, he really had no idea, but more than anything he wanted to see Mia. Alex walked slowly through the town, snowflakes swirling around him, as he gazed at his former home. People stared at him, their eyes constantly watching him. Did they recognise him? Were they looking at him with hate? He did not even bother to look into their eyes, he didn't want to know.

Alex approached the sanctum building and pushed open the doors. Two blonde children were standing in the sanctum and watched him with wide-eyed gazes as he walked in. The Mercurian faintly recognised them. Their names were Megan and Justin. Mia had taken them under her wing not long before he left.

"Where is Mia?" Alex asked gently. "I am looking for her."

"She went to the lighthouse," Megan said, tugging nervously on one of her pigtails as she shied behind Justin.

"Are you Alex?" Justin backed away, putting a protective arm around his sister.

Alex didn't say anything. He simply turned around and left the sanctum, closing the doors behind him. Just knowing that even children feared him was enough to almost crush him. But still he wanted to see Mia. So Alex hurried out of the town, the gazes of suspicious Imilians watching him leave, heading towards Mercury Lighthouse.

Alex quietly walked into Mercury Lighthouse and spotted Mia kneeling in front of the lighthouse. He silently walked up behind her, overhearing the soft words that she spoke in her familiar beautiful voice.

"Oh, Mercury," Mia prayed. "Bring Alex back to me. Please... I don't know where Alex is, where he has gone. I don't know if he is alive or dead, but please, give me a sign. I want to see him again, I want to know... please..." Her voice broke off and she let out a quiet sob.

Alex impulsively reached out, stroking her soft silky hair with his fingers. "Mia..." He breathed out.

Mia spun around, turning her startled gaze on Alex. Her eyes widened and she slowly rose to her feet, trembling with emotion. "Alex... you're... alive..."

"I'm sorry I didn't come sooner," Alex said. "I had to recover and..."

"Please tell me!" Mia exclaimed. "Tell me you never had bad intentions along! I know you used us all and you tried to get Alchemy... but please... I don't believe you're a bad person..."

"I'm not a bad person, Mia," Alex whispered, gently stroking Mia's pale cheek. "Not for one second did I ever intend to use Alchemy for evil. I'm sorry I kept it from everyone. It was the easiest way to get it, to protect the ultimate power. I knew I would be judged for it, but I didn't care."

"You should have told me!" Mia sobbed, throwing herself at Alex's chest and clutching his shirt. "Because I allowed myself to doubt you! I said hurtful things... I even thought you were evil... why did you let me think those things? Why? Do you know how much it hurts to think I've lost one of my closest friends forever?" She turned her gleaming eyes towards Alex, her bottom lip trembling.

"But you believed in me in the end," Alex said with a smile. "Thanks for the nice prayer."

"I love you, Alex," Mia said in a trembling voice. "I still love you even after all those things you did... I missed you so much... it made my heart ache..."

"I've always loved you, Mia," Alex told her, leaning down to kiss her on the lips. "Even on Jupiter Lighthouse, I wanted to come to your aid, to help you in your distress."

"You should have," Mia said, kissing him back. Their arms wrapped around each other as they passionately embraced.


End file.
